Thewhite-lipped peccary(Tayassu pecari) is aspeciesofpeccaryfound inCentralandSouth Americaand the only member of thegenusTayassu.[note 1]Multiplesubspecieshave been identified. White-lipped peccaries are similar in appearance topigs,but covered in dark hair (except on certain regions, such as the throat, where it iscream). The range ofT. pecari,which extends fromMexicotoArgentina,has become fragmented, and the species's population is declining overall (especially in Mexico and Central America). They can be found in a variety of habitats.Socialanimals, white-lipped peccaries typically forage in large groups, which can have as many as 300 peccaries.
| White-lipped peccary Temporal range:
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Scientific classification
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Tayassuidae |
| Genus: | Tayassu Fischer von Waldheim,1814 |
| Species: | T. pecari
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| Binomial name | |
| Tayassu pecari (Link,1795)
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| Range of the white-lipped peccary (note that theCentral Americanpart of its range is much more fragmented in actuality and that its presence inEl Salvadoris erroneous) | |
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They are an important part of theirecosystemand multiple efforts are being made to preserve them in the wild. Not all disappearances are explained, buthumanactivities play a role, with two major threats beingdeforestationandhunting;the latter is very common in rural areas, although it can be dangerous, as white-lipped peccaries can be aggressive. They are hunted for both theirhideandmeat.
Taxonomy
editThe white-lipped peccary was first described byJohann Heinrich Friedrich Linkin 1795 asSus pecari.It was moved into themonotypicgenusTayassubyGotthelf Fischer von Waldheimin 1814.[7][8]
Subspecies
editThere are five recognized subspecies:[7]
- T. p. pecari(Link, 1795)
- T. p. aequatoris(Lönnberg,1921)
- T. p. albirostris(Illiger,1815)
- T. p. ringens(Merriam,1901)
- T. p. spiradens(Goldman,1912)
Evolution
editThefossil recordofT. pecariis limited.[9]It has existed since at least thePliocene.[8]Fossils from theLate Pleistocenesuggest a different distribution during this time, being mostly found in more southern areas (such as theBuenos Aires Provinceof Argentina). Based on the other species that coexisted with it during this period, the central-northern Buenos Aires Province was likelyaridorsemi-aridin the Late Pleistocene.[9]
Hybrids
editThe white-lipped peccary is capable of producing offspring with thecollared peccary(Dicotyles tajacu), another member of thepeccary family.This has been recorded at theLondon ZooandManaus Zoo,but never in the wild.[10]
Description
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The white-lipped peccary is a piglikeungulate,covered in dark hair, which iscreamon certain parts of the underside, such as the throat and pelvic regions.[10]Adult white-lipped peccaries can reach a length of 90–135 cm (35–53 in). Their height is about 90 cm (35 in), measured from theshoulder.They usually weigh 27–40 kg (60–88 lb), but can grow even larger. There is no obvioussexual dimorphism,but males have longercanine teeththan females.[5]They possess ascent gland,which is found at the posterior middorsal region.[10]
Distribution and habitat
editThe white-lipped peccary is native toArgentina,Belize,Bolivia,Brazil,Colombia,Costa Rica,Ecuador,French Guiana,Guatemala,Guyana,Honduras,Mexico,Nicaragua,Panama,Paraguay,Peru,Suriname,andVenezuela.It is regionally extinct inEl Salvador.[1]White-lipped peccaries thrive in dense, humid, tropical forests. They can also be found in a wide range of other habitats, such asdry forests,grasslands,mangroves,and dryxerophyticareas, as well as theCerradoecoregionof Brazil.[1]They range from sea level to an altitude of 1,900 m (6,200 ft).[1]Their range overlaps with that of the collared peccary.[11]
A 2018 study found that they had disappeared from 87% of their historical range inMesoamerica(which the study defined as everywhere between southern Mexico and Panama), and were in "critical condition" in the seven Mesoamerican countries they still inhabited.[12]Studies by theInternational Union for Conservation of Naturefound similar information, with a reported decline of 89% in Costa Rica and 84% in Mexico and Guatemala.[13]
Behavior and ecology
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White-lipped peccaries generally move from place to place in large herds. UnlikeD. tajacu,which travels single-file,T. pecarimoves in broad groups.[5]Group sizes can range from under ten (while uncommon, groups as small as five have been recorded[1]) to as many as 300. Especially large groups are rarer now than they were historically, due to the declining population ofT. pecari.[12]The average group size in a fragmented area of theAtlantic Forestwas found to be around 42, although herds frequently come into contact with one another and interbreed.[1]Juvenile peccaries have been found to make up no more than 20% of herds in studies.[5]
As mentioned previously, the range ofT. pecarioverlaps with that ofD. tajacu.This overlap is significant, with both found in similar habitats across theNeotropics.A study published in 1982 found that the former'sbite forceis at least 1.3 times as great as that of the collared peccary. This may help to explain how the two manage to coexist over such a large area, as the study also found that they consumed different kinds of seeds and nuts when foraging in the same area. The measured resistance of these seeds and nuts was found to be consistent with the bite forces of the two peccary species.[6]
They can produce screaming noises and clack their teeth when they travel in herds, which allows them to be heard from hundreds of meters away facilitating “group coherence” and intimidating potential predators. In common with other peccaries,GBIFwrites that "their vocal repertoire includes low-frequency barking, growling, moaning, high-pitched squealing, and tooth clacking."[14]
Feeding
editWhite-lipped peccaries forage for food, frequently doing so incoastal areasor near other bodies of water. Most of their diet is made up of fruit, although it is supplemented with additional foods, such as other parts ofplants(which can includenuts),fungi,invertebrates (includingsnails), and even fish on occasion. They consume over 140 different species of plants from over 30 families across their range.[1][15]While not as frequently, they are also known to feed onearthworms,eggs,smallvertebrates,andcarrion.[11]
Predation
editWhite-lipped peccaries are an important prey for large felines.[1]When in large groups they can—and have been known to—drive awayjaguarswith their loudvocalizations.[11][16]
Reproduction and life cycle
editT. pecaribreeds year-round. Theestrus cyclegenerally lasts about 18—21 days. After agestation periodof about 158 days, two young are usually born. They are capable of moving with the rest of the herd just hours afterbirth.[5]
Conservation
editThe white-lipped peccary is listed asvulnerableby the IUCN. Its population is currently decreasing, despite protective measures.[1]It is also listed on Appendix II onCITESand has been listed there since 1987.[17]
Threats
editThe white-lipped peccary faces numerous threats. The large amount of space they require makes them very threatened bydeforestation.They are highly dependent onprotected areasto keep their habitat safe from human activity. When their habitat becomes fragmented, they are at more risk of beinghuntedby humans, as their tendency to move in large herds makes them easy to spot. Hunters can kill many at once.[15]Even light hunting can be a threat in areas with limited resources and naturally lower population densities. In several areas of Brazil, seemingly healthy populations have become locally extinct. Their population has declined about 30% in the last 18 years, with current estimates suggesting a similar trend going into the future.[1]Unexplained disappearances have been documented in multiple areas and are suspected to be caused bydisease.[13]
Conservation efforts
editThe white-lipped peccary already occurs in multiple protected areas, including theWorld Land Trustsupported Güisayote Biological Reserve in Honduras[18]andManú National Parkof Peru.[19]However, that alone may not be enough to keep it alive in all the habitat types it is naturally found in. IUCN has suggested new limitations by CITES to restrict the trade ofhidesandpelts.Research on their population has increased in recent years, although there are still areas in need of study.[1]Although Peru is very active in the trading of peccary hides, which are tanned in Peru and sold to European businesses to makeshoesandgloves,[1]theWildlife Conservation Society(WCS) has worked in Peru since 1980 to keep hunting sustainable and monitor populations.[20]
Relationship with humans
editT. pecariis frequently hunted by both theindigenousand non-indigenous residents of its habitat. Their meat, which is described by theFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) as "white"and" abundant "is sold and consumed in rural communities, where peccaries (both white-lipped and collared) are importantgame animals.[1][5]While easy to locate, due to their loud nature and tendency to travel in herds, white-lipped peccaries can be dangerous to hunt—they are known to killdogs—and are typically hunted in groups. They generally stand their ground when attacked; as such, multiple individuals can be killed before the herd flees. Their scent gland is usually removed just after killing to avoid negatively affecting the taste of their meat.[5]Peru permits their subsistence hunting in settlements with under 3,000 inhabitants.[1]
References
edit- ^abcdefghijklmnKeuroghlian, A.; Desbiez, A.; Reyna-Hurtado, R.; Altrichter, M.; Beck, H.; Taber, A. & Fragoso, J.M.V. (2013)."Tayassu pecari".IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.2013:e.T41778A44051115.doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T41778A44051115.en.Retrieved12 November2021.
- ^"Appendices | CITES".cites.org.Retrieved14 January2022.
- ^Acosta, Luis E.; Garbino, Guilherme S. T.; Gasparini, Germán M. & Dutra, Rodrigo Parisi (9 September 2020). "Unraveling the nomenclatural puzzle of the collared and white-lipped peccaries (Mammalia, Cetartiodactyla, Tayassuidae)".Zootaxa.4851(1): 60–80.doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4851.1.2.PMID33056737.S2CID222846767.
- ^"Explore the Database".Mammaldiversity.org.Retrieved13 October2021.
- ^abcdefgOjasti, Juhani (1996)."Wildlife Utilization in Latin America: Current Situation and Prospects for Sustainable Management. (FAO Conservation Guide - 25)".Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.Archived fromthe originalon 15 January 2022.Retrieved22 April2022.
- ^abKiltie, Richard A. (September 1982)."Bite Force as a Basis for Niche Differentiation Between Rain Forest Peccaries (Tayassu tajacuandT. pecari) ".Biotropica.14(3): 188–195.Bibcode:1982Biotr..14..188K.doi:10.2307/2388025.JSTOR2388025.Retrieved26 April2022.
- ^ab"Mammal Species of the World - Browse: pecari".www.departments.bucknell.edu.Retrieved9 May2022.
- ^ab"Tayassu pecariLink 1795 (white-lipped peccary) ".paleobiodb.org.Retrieved30 April2022.
- ^abGasparini, Germán Mariano; Rodriguez, Sergio Gabriel; Soibelzon, Leopoldo Héctor; Beilinson, Elisa; Soibelzon, Esteban & Missagia, Rafaela Velloso (2 November 2014)."Tayassu pecari(Link, 1795) (Mammalia, Cetartiodactyla): comments on its South American fossil record, taxonomy and paleobiogeography ".Historical Biology.26(6): 785–800.Bibcode:2014HBio...26..785G.doi:10.1080/08912963.2013.858247.hdl:11336/33040.S2CID83520280.
- ^abcJohn J. Mayer; Ralph M. Wetzel (1987).Tayassu pecari.
- ^abc"Peccary".sandiegozoo.org.Retrieved15 April2022.
- ^ab"Rapid decline of White-Lipped Peccary Populations in Mesoamerica"(PDF).November 2018. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2 September 2019.Retrieved6 March2022.
- ^ab"World's oldest and largest species in decline – IUCN Red List".IUCN.2 July 2013.Retrieved15 April2022.
- ^"Tayassu pecari(Link, 1795) ".Global Biodiversity Information Facility.doi:10.15468/39omei.Retrieved11 October2022.
- ^ab"White-lipped Peccary".worldlandtrust.org.Retrieved15 April2022.
- ^Watt, E. Melanie (18 September 2020)."New video of peccaries mobbing a jaguar shows predator-prey interactions go both ways".Massive Science.Retrieved11 October2022.
- ^"White-lipped Peccary".cites.org.Archived fromthe originalon 15 May 2021.Retrieved16 April2022.
- ^"Honduras".worldlandtrust.org.Retrieved22 April2022.
- ^Patterson, B. D.; Stotz, D. F. & Solari, S. (2006)."Mammals and birds of the Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peru"(PDF).Fieldiana: Zoology.New series.110:1–49. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 22 March 2012.Retrieved23 April2022.
- ^"Huangana".peru.wcs.org(in Spanish).Retrieved24 April2022.
Notes
edit- ^Although identified by theAmerican Society of MammalogistsasDicotyles tajacu,[3][4]some sources incorrectly describe thecollared peccaryas another member ofTayassu.[5][6]
Further reading
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- Emmons, Louise H.;Feer, François (2 September 1997).Neotropical rainforest mammals. A field guide(2nd ed.). Chicago:University of Chicago Press.pp. 176–177.ISBN978-0-226-20721-6.OCLC44179508.
- Altrichter, M; Carrillo, E; Sáenz, J; Fuller, T. K. (2001). "White-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari,Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) diet and fruit availability in a Costa Rican rain forest ".Revista de Biología Tropical.49(3–4): 1183–92.PMID12189800.